Shovel attachment.



J. C. GREGORY.

SHOVEL ATTACHMENT.

'APPLIGATION FILED APR. 30, 1913.

1,097,313. Patented May 19, 191

. glwuzwto'c J- C GREgOKYZ JAMES C. GREGORY, OF SALEM, OREGON.

SHOVEL ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1914.

Application filed April 30, 1913. Serial No. 76;,605.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, James G. GREGORY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Marionand State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Shovel Attachments, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in shovelattachments and more particularly to a footguard therefor and theprimary object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich will positively prevent all injury to the shoe, as the operatorforces the shovel into the ground.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a device of thischaracter which is formed of a single strand of wire designed to clamptightly over the upper edge of the shovel and a still further objectresides in providing a device which is simple and durable inconstruction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be veryefficient and useful in operation.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in thenovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts aswill be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in thespecification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, Figure 1is a perspective view showing the device applied to use. Fig. 2 is anelevation of the same removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse section throughthe same. Fig. 4: is a plan view of the device removed; and Fig. 5 is aplan view of the blank used for the formation of the device.

In describing my invention, I shall refer to the drawing in whichsimilar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and in which 1 indicates the blade of a shovel of theusual or any desired type adapted for use in connection with soil and myinvention contemplates the provision of a means adapted for applicationto the upper edge of the shovel which will prevent undue wear and injuryto the shoe of the operator, as the same is placed upon. said upper edgeof the shovel to force the same into the soil. To this end, I provide aprotector comprising a single strand of wire 2 which is bent inwardly atpoints some distance from the ends to permit said ends to abut oneanother and forming a pair of slightly spaced-and parallel sections. Theabutting ends of the wire are secured together in any approved mannerand the parallel sections of said wire are fixed together in a suitablemanner to form thereon a solid body portion 3. The portions of theparallel sections of the strand of wire thus bent, which continueimmediately from the ends of the flat solid portion 3 are first bentdownwardly at substantial right angles to the flat portion, as shown at4: and then bent upwardly as shown at 5, so that the loops forming theends of the parallel sections contact with the under face of thesections of the wire which form the fiat solid portion 3. In view of thefact that the wire sections are spaced apart throughout their length,prior to the bending of the device, it will be seen that when saidsections are bent in the manner described, substantial slotted dependingportions or tangs will be formed on the device which are spring-like,inasmuch as they are formed of wire.

In applying the device to use, the same is applied to the upper edge ofthe shovel to straddle the same on one side of the handle, that is, toreceive the upper edge of said shovel through the spaces of the bent ordepending sections of the wire. The shovel is so formed as to requirethis device to be forced into position thereon and when so forced, thewire sections will yield slightly to clamp tightly on the blade and thusbe held on the same through frictional engagement. The flat or solidportion 3 thereof will rest on the upper edge of the shovel and afford afoot rest so that the operators shoe will not contact with the sharpupper edge of the blade of the shovel in forcing the latter into thesoil.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple,inexpensive and eflicient means for carrying out the objects of theinvention and while I have particularly described the elements bestadapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that variouschanges in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe principles of the invention.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed is 1. A device ofthe class described formed of a single strand of wire bent to form anelongated loop, the ends of said loop being bent downwardly and upwardlyto form depending spring clamping ends, and means applied to thesections of the wire forming the sides of the loop between said clampingends to form a body portion thereon.

2. A device of the class described comprising a strand of wire designedto form an elongated closed loop, the sections of the wire forming thesides of said loop being arranged parallel for the portion of theirlength and inclined inwardly toward one another for the remainder oftheir length, the

JAMES C. GREGORY.

Witnesses:

JIM Lorne, LAURA B. GREGORY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

